(Sorry for noob-ness) FFVII: mods for psx version only

[TheKeiron]

I wasn't really sure where this should go (sorry if this is the wrong section!)

Basically i've come from a PSP forum looking to mod the psx version of FFVII with the graphical tweaks (like anything similar to bordes npc but for psx) and then convert the psx discs to eboots which can then run on the PSP's POPS psx emulator. Can anyone help with this? I've been looking all over this forum for psx mods but the mods are confusing (they seem to be all for pc...but i'm not sure if they all are!)

I know a lot of people would love an improved version of FFVII to play on the go so any help with this would be greatly appreciated

[Bosola]

Ain't gonna happen. Improving the graphics means increasing the sizes of the original files, which we can't do because we can't build a new PSOne disk filetable from scratch. There are still some mods that change things, like the Hard Mod, or my own Rebirth mod, but we can't include new models or anything like that.

[Timu Sumisu]

neway to run the pc version on a psp?

[obesebear]

neway to run the pc version on a psp?

Nope.  Just running Windows 95 takes up all of the 32Mb of RAM

[KnifeTheSky77]

You can run the PC version of ff7 on a PS3
1. Own phat ps3 with otheros option
2. Install Yellow Dog linux and cut out every ounce unnecessary running bloat
3. Run butchered slim windows xp in virtual machine
4. Install ff7 in virtual machine
5. Build PS3 laptop

Henceforth, ff7 pc running on a playstation portable. 

[Bosola]

Couldn't a stripped down kernel and WINE just about manage it?

[KnifeTheSky77]

yeah, if there were a port for the ppc architecture

[Kudistos Megistos]

Couldn't a stripped down kernel and WINE just about manage it?

As far as I understand it, WINE only works with PC-like systems with x86 compatible processors, since it's a compatibility layer and not an emulator (what do you think WINE stands for? ).

Anyway, as knifethesky77 said, there would need to be some kind of port over to the PS3's powerpc architecture that the PS3 uses.

I only half understand what I've just said , but in any case, WINE can't run Windows programs on the PS3, for the reasons given.

For now, we'll have to hope that FF7 is one of those games that will work in an emulated Windows on a PS3, and I doubt it (since emulated Windows is slow even when no programs are running in it).

[Bosola]

Of course, WINE isn't an *emulator*, meaning it can't help port over bytecode from one architecture to another.

[KnifeTheSky77]

well, speed IS an issue with otheros on the ps3
The thing is, linux doesnt have access to the RSX (the graphics card)
unfortunately, that means that half of the ram on the system is a no-no zone 

it might actually be faster to have ydl running a vm with a very light x86 linux kernel+wine+ff7
in a way you are all right

[TheKeiron]

Ain't gonna happen. Improving the graphics means increasing the sizes of the original files, which we can't do because we can't build a new PSOne disk filetable from scratch. There are still some mods that change things, like the Hard Mod, or my own Rebirth mod, but we can't include new models or anything like that.

I'm not really sure what you meant by this, why cant you change the models? i've seen other people on other websites do texture mods of ps1 games successfully...

[Kudistos Megistos]

Ain't gonna happen. Improving the graphics means increasing the sizes of the original files, which we can't do because we can't build a new PSOne disk filetable from scratch. There are still some mods that change things, like the Hard Mod, or my own Rebirth mod, but we can't include new models or anything like that.

I'm not really sure what you meant by this, why cant you change the models? i've seen other people on other websites do texture mods of ps1 games successfully...

The models can be changed, and and remember that some of them actually were changed a while ago.

The problem is that we can't have models with bigger file sizes than the original. We can have new models, but we can't have high-res models because they have bigger file sizes; that means that all of the graphics mods, which seek to make the game look better, are incompatible with the PSX version. All we can do is put in new low-res models that don't look much/any better than the original ones (unless we use really good compression).

[TheKeiron]

Ain't gonna happen. Improving the graphics means increasing the sizes of the original files, which we can't do because we can't build a new PSOne disk filetable from scratch. There are still some mods that change things, like the Hard Mod, or my own Rebirth mod, but we can't include new models or anything like that.

I'm not really sure what you meant by this, why cant you change the models? i've seen other people on other websites do texture mods of ps1 games successfully...

The models can be changed, and and remember that some of them actually were changed a while ago.

The problem is that we can't have models with bigger file sizes than the original. We can have new models, but we can't have high-res models because they have bigger file sizes; that means that all of the graphics mods, which seek to make the game look better, are incompatible with the PSX version. All we can do is put in new low-res models that don't look much/any better than the original ones (unless we use really good compression).

I wasn't aware some were changed a while ago, could you point me in the direction of some screenshots? Also, with regards to the low res models issue, would it be possible to compress the battle models for cloud etc enough to replace with the field ones perhaps? if so, what compression could work?

[Kudistos Megistos]

Unfortunately, I can't find any of the screenshots. However, there's some info here.

The models that were replaced were replaced by other models that were already in the game.

[TheKeiron]

Unfortunately, I can't find any of the screenshots. However, there's some info here.

The models that were replaced were replaced by other models that were already in the game.

ok i read the thread shame there weren't any screenshots! So the lzs compressor may be able to compress a model to small enough to swap out the field models? how big are the field models btw? Sorry i'm a complete noob at this

[m35]

Just throwing ideas around here. It might not be too hard to port PCSX emulator to PS3 (it's probably already been done) then you could modify the emulator to have special FF7 hooks that intercept resources requests and replace them with external hi-rez data. That may also mean increasing the emulated PSX ram which may complicate things. You can find an example of this sort of thing with Zelda Ocarina in an N64 emulator. Textures were all replaced with much higher rez versions (ask youtube for videos).

[titeguy3]

KwaA?  

Ocarina Of Time with updated textures on an emulator? Care to provide a link?

EDIT: I think I found it - http://www.n64redux.com/content/ocarina-time-community-retexture-project

[Timu Sumisu]

yea, thats kinda the zelda version of team avalanche... they've also been around a lot longer

[Covarr]

yea, thats kinda the zelda version of team avalanche... they've also been around a lot longer

They're also a lot less organized and slower to actually do anything. I've been following all the N64 retexture projects at emutalk, and it seems like very few of them ever get anywhere near completion.

[sl1982]

You arent calling Avalanche organized are you? LOL

[Covarr]

You arent calling Avalanche organized are you? LOL

Not in the slightest, but have you seen the place where pretty much all N64 retextures hail from? It's loaded with unnecessary dupe topics that should have been updates to previous topics, generally redundant projects (roughly ten Mario Kart texture packs that all serve the same purpose), and outdated stickies. Not to mention, the first posts in about half the threads pretty much never get updated, so to find the latest release of a texture pack you have to browse through sometimes dozens of pages of post after post of "whens the new version of ur textur pack comin out! weve been waiting too long".

[titeguy3]

I've actually found that Qhimm is a lot more organized than most modding community forum boards. It's just easier to find stuff.

[sl1982]

Hmm maybe ill shall clean up my little corner of the forum one of these days

[Gemini]

The problem is that we can't have models with bigger file sizes than the original.

Data can be relocated around the disk, models included. You don't even need to rebuild the whole ISO, but just move a file in an empty region of the image (i.e. end of disk). In other words, the only actual limit is the hardware.

[Bosola]

As far as I know, that isn't true. The issue is not the limitations of the disc, but to do with the fact that -

a) Bits of the executable don't look for files, but go to particular sectors and tracks expecting data, so we'd have to disassemble parts of the executable and change these locations, and
b) We can't create PSOne data lookup-tables / filesystem data from scratch.

If you know differently, though, I'd be very interested to hear how I could exceed the limits of the KERNEL.BIN. I *have* heard about attempts in the past to get PSOne homebrew up and running without the Net Yaroze framework - presumably, *someone* must be able to author  bootable Playstation discs.